It’s no secret that the final season of Game of Thrones garnered mix reactions from fans. While some fans thoroughly enjoyed Season 8 (while still acknowledging its pacing problems), others outright hated it. Petitions were made to decanonize and remake the final season, the showrunners — who worked on the series since the very first episode — were suddenly labelled untalented and unworthy, and the coronation of Bran as king was received with utmost reprehension. Oh, and let’s not forget the memes.
What’s fascinating is that some fans actually believe that George R.R. Martin is disgusted by the series as well. That he’s on “their side” if you can call it that. That the series didn’t follow Martin’s story beats. That the ending of his books will be completely different from the ending of the series. A certain portion of the fans also believe that Martin is probably scrambling in his writing chamber to change the ending of his books. But rest assured, the author of ‘A Song of Ice and Fire’ (the books Game of Thrones is based on), George R.R. Martin isn’t going to change a damn thing in the name of pleasing fans. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Martin said he will not be taking the outcry over the Game of Thrones final season — or even the compliments — into consideration.
“The internet affects all this to a degree it was never affected before. Like Jon Snow’s parentage. There were early hints about [who Snow’s parents were] in the books, but only one reader in 100 put it together. And before the internet that was fine — for 99 readers out of 100 when Jon Snow’s parentage gets revealed it would be, ‘Oh, that’s a great twist!’ But in the age of the internet, even if only one person in 100 figures it out then that one person posts it online and the other 99 people read it and go, ‘Oh, that makes sense.’ Suddenly the twist you’re building towards is out there.
And there is a temptation to then change it [in the upcoming books] — ‘Oh my god, it’s screwed up, I have to come up with something different.’ But that’s wrong. Because you’ve been planning for a certain ending and if you suddenly change direction just because somebody figured it out, or because they don’t like it, then it screws up the whole structure. So no, I don’t read the fan sites. I want to write the book I’ve always intended to write all along. And when it comes out they can like it or they can not like it.”
This puts a smile on my face. What a way to start your morning. In the past, I’ve been very vocal about how we as fans have every right to criticise or compliment a piece of art that we loathe or like. We can even yell our lungs dry or drink to it in celebration. But we do not own the art. Creators and artists should never bend the knee to us. George R.R. Martin should put out a piece of literature that feels truest to him, even if what’s truest to him is something we absolutely do not like or agree with. I’m 100% with Martin on this. I’ve never been a fan of creators changing their storyline in the name of satisfying fans.
When exactly George R.R. Martin finishes his book is anybody’s guess, but the acclaimed writer has once again made it clear that he’s working on it.
“I have very fixed ideas in my head as I’m writing The Winds of Winter and beyond that in terms of where things are going. It’s like two alternate realities existing side by side. I have to double down and do my version of it which is what I’ve been doing.”
The full and completely uncensored seasons of Game of Thrones is currently available to stream on Astro GO and HBO GO.
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